Ghillie in the mist

     "Scootaloo?" I said. I saw her rubbing rubbing her eyes. She still hasn't realized what she said.

     "Do I have to go?" She rolled under the blankets, turning her back to me.

     "Are you dreaming Scoot?" I knew that I talked in my sleep when I dreamt. Maybe she was dreaming about her biological father? I bent down right beside her bed.

     "Michael?" She wrapped her hooves around my neck, I really don't think they made it all the way around though. "I don't wanna go today. Can I go to work with you?"

     "It's very boring, and Twilight might disapprove." I knew Twilight, being as educated as she was, would hate me if I didn't take her to school. I also really had no rights as a legal guardian to keep her out for a day.

     "But I'm tired! And I don't wanna go!" She plopped back down in her bed, bottom lip extended. How the hell did I keep falling for that?

     I sighed "Fine, but you have to come with me everywhere I go." I already knew it wouldn't last long. But surprisingly enough, she stayed with me the whole day. The hardest part was initially getting her out of bed.

     "I don't have to go to school! You said! Can't I sleep in just a little more?" She pleaded as I was getting her ready.

     I realized it really didn't matter. "Want to sleep on the way? I still have to get my coffee and to my post."

     "Yeah!" She threw herself into my chest. I got a blanket and wrapped her up. Her head stuck out, the rest or her was a small ball. I tucked her into the crevice of my elbow like a football in my left arm, and held my Barrett in my right hand, over my back.

     When we reached Ponyville, I got even more strange looks than normal. A six and a half foot tall alien, his weapon that spits fire and tears ponies on two, walking down the street with Scootaloo sleeping in his arms. I sat down to get my coffee, this time with a different response.

     "Umm... What are you doing with Scootaloo, isn't she supposed to be at school?"

     "It's a long story, can I get my usual?" I flipped the money in the air, caught my the waiter's magic.

     "You know, it's not good for her to be out of school, even if the weekend's tomorrow." She said.

     "Just get me my coffee." I said. Apparently she was having a bad day. I looked down to Scootaloo. Steady breathes. She was sound asleep. I leaned back in the chair, I had made it specifically for me, since there was nothing here previously except the ground. When my coffee arrived, I thanked the waiter, drank the coffee, and started towards Twilight's house.

     "Are you serious? You're joking right." Twilight said, I knew she wouldn't be alright with it.

     "You don't understand, you didn't hear her this morning. It drilled into me, I had to take her with me. Any other time I would've told her no." I said, pleading my case.

     "Oh really? And what did she say that decided you should keep her from education?" Twilight looked at me, annoyance on her face.

     I looked at Scootaloo, still sound asleep, then motioned for Twilight to get closer. "Daddy?" I whispered into her ear.

     Her eyes widened "Oh... I think I understand now." I always hate that, never say you understand unless you've been in their position. You can say you know what they mean, or see where they're coming from. But don't say you understand unless you really do.

     "I was going to talk to her about it when she wakes up." I said, walking to the balcony.

     "What are you going to when when I find you a way home?" She asked.

     I set the sniper in its position, looking out towards the schoolyard. I thought about what she said. I looked at Scootaloo. "Have a coin? I spent mine on my coffee this morning." I said. An old trick would help me.

     "Yeah, here." She pulled the coin out and tossed it to me.

     "Heads I stay, tails I go." I said to myself.

     "What?" Twilight asked.

     "Old trick, decisions are made faster when there's a deadline. Flip a coin, while it's in the air, you'll know what you want."

     I flipped the coin in the air. It seemed like slow motion. I made my decision at about its peak. It fell back to the ground. Landing on tails. "So you're leaving?" Twilight asked.

     "No, I'm staying. Stop all research on how to get me back. Get Spike to send a letter to Celestia." I felt Scootaloo start to wake up in my arms. She had no idea what just happened. I sat her in my lap, where she once again fell asleep. I gently stroked her purple mane. A small smile appeared on her face. I couldn't help myself, I smiled too.

     "Daddy?" She said again, very drowsy. I ignored it, maybe it was just a dream she was having. "Daddy!" She said again, this time pushing her head into my hand. Either she was having a vivid dream, or she meant what she was saying. Twilight and Spike just stood there, shock covering their faces. I kinda looked at them, and when I was about to say something, she spoke again. Confirming what I thought. She pushed her head into my hand again. "Daddy! Michael!" She said.

     "Yes Scoot?" I said. I was trying as hard as I could to stay calm and control my emotions.

     "Are we at school?"

     "No. You wanted to skip, remember?"

     "Oh yeah... I guess we're at your job?"

     "Yeah, we're at Twilight's"

     "I'm hungry."

     "I bet you are, you haven't eat yet this morning." I turned to Twilight, her face still frozen in shock. "You wouldn't mind if I got her some breakfast would you?"

     "Sure, Spike, could you fix them some breakfast?" Twilight said, breaking from her trance.

     "Just some for Scootaloo, I'm not hungry." I said. I looked back down to Scootaloo. "You're really tired aren't ya?"

     She nodded "Yeah." She said, kinda yawning. "I couldn't sleep last night."

     "I've had nights like that, don't worry, you just need to eat a little, then you can go back to sleep." I thought to myself for a second, where was this coming from? I didn't know how to be a parent, and here I am caring for her like I'd been with her since birth.

     "Alright." She said while she curled herself back into a ball. A couple minutes passed. I felt Twilight's eyes drilling into the back of my head the whole time. I would occasionally look down at Scootaloo, but I had positioned my sniper so I could still view the town. Thank God nothing happened that day. I don't know how I would be able to give up Scootaloo to kill someone.

     "Michael, here's some food for her." Spike came over, handing me a plate.

     "Thanks man." I looked down at Scootaloo "Come on, you have to eat a little, then you can go back to sleep."  I started forking some food into her mouth. I heard Twilight talking to Spike behind me, she had to have been. Writing the letter. She finished eating, and rolled back up. I placed the blanket over her. She had a steady rise and fall.

     I sat there with her in my lap for an hour. Switching from looking down my scope, to looking at the orange pony. I felt her start to wake. I looked down when she picked her head up. A frown formed on her face.

     "Where are we?" She said, raising herself up. She started to rub her eyes.

     "We're at Twilight's. Do you not remember saying you didn't want to go to school today?" I looked down, adjusting the sniper into a more comfortable position for the both of us.

     She shook her head "Nope... I had a weird dream though..." She said, kinda looking down.

     "I've had my share of weird dreams..." I was, and still am, a very experienced lucid dreamer. Someone who can control their dreams. "...that I don't really understand. What'd you dream about?"

     "I ahh... I... I dreampt that you were..." She studdered.

     "Daddy?" I asked. She looked up at me.

     "How did you know?" She asked.

     "You called me that multiple times. I wasn't sure until you said my name right after it."

     She ran into my chest, trying as hard as she could to wrap her hooves all the way around my waist. I returned her embrace. I felt an occasional sob.

     Two nights later, I wanted to relive the whole experience. I lay in my bed perfectly still for half an hour, before I finally felt the weight on my chest. I then let sleep overtake my body. When I opened my eyes, I was in a shed in Afghanistan. A could hear a helicopter and small vehicle in the distance. I looked around, then at my hands. Twelve fingers. I realized it was a dream. I turned to the door leaving the shed. When I opened it, I stepped into Twilight's library. Scootaloo in my arms. I sat in my chair and started rocking. I wanted the dream to last forever.

     "Michael." A voice came from behind me. My mind had been blank, nothing should've appeared. I stood to my feet, spinning on my heals. A magnum started forming in my hands. It felt like cold sand running down my hand, then, it progressively got solid, until I had to pistol in both hands and I was aiming down the sights. I stared in confusion at Luna. I hadn't thought about her, why was she here? I dropped the pistol. It disintegrated on the ground. I put my hand in front of her. I thought about her being gone. I moved my hand. She was still there, with a surprised look on her face.

     "Yeah... I have to go..." I said. I walked over to the balcony, and jumped. I began flying through the clouds, until I found Scoot's shed. I could relive the moments here.

     "Michael, I need to speak with you." Luna said again. I turned to see her standing right behind me. "You're in a dream. I need you to fo..."

     I put my hand up to stop her. A look of rage crossed her face. "I know this is a dream. I am we'll aware of that. And don't you dare give me that look, you may be the princess in your kingdom, but this is my mind. I am the king here."

     She sighed "Fair enough. This is your dream. However, I need to speak with you. And this was the easiest way. Please hear me out!" She pleaded. I could see she was serious.

     "I'm listening." I said. I started forming a door behind her. When the conversation was over, I would go back to the library.

     "I've been visiting Scootaloo's dreams. It was harder to get into yours though. I've been trying to get in since you first got here!" She said.

     "My mind isn't exactly weak. I've been training it for years." I said. The door was there. I could technically leave whenever I wanted.

     "I noticed. Anyway, I want to talk to you about Scootaloo's dreams!"

     "Then spit it out! Fuck, you take forever to get your story out. I don't have much time." I really didn't, I could hear the dream collapsing in the distance.

     "Alright, Scootaloo sees you as a father figure. She told me that you just walking her to school meant so much."

     I looked down. Then back at Luna. "You went to her dreams, what should I do about it?"

     "She told me, pick her up from school. She will talk to you then." She said. The dream started collapsing even more. The ground started to fall from beneath me. I woke up in my bed. It was already time for work.

     I was standing next to a mother, she was just as tall as Twilight, but a light blue. She seemed to be afraid of me. I just didn't say anything. I didn't want to scare her anymore than she already was. I was getting multiple weird looks, not everyday you see an alien that killed a pony not a week ago, at a school. I just stood there, I had no idea what time it was. I eventually looked at the pony next to me "Excuse me, what time is it?" I asked.

     "Ahhhhhhhh....." She had a look of fear on her face. She fainted.

     "Don't worry about her, mate." A dark brown pony came up beside me. "Name's Allen." He stuck out his hoof.

     "Michael." I grabbed the hoof.

     "You're the one that's always up in the library aren't ya?"

     I kinda smiled "That would be me, yeah."

     "And let me guess, that's where the big boom came from?" Me pointed at the Barrett.

     "That is correct."

     He smiled and shook his head "Scared me half to death, I was walking right under the balcony when it went off. Then I heard you talkin' to Twilight."

     "My job is civilian protection. I was just doing my job."

     He thought or a second "If you're civilian protection, why are you at the school?"

     "Had a dream last night, Luna told me to pick someone up. Here I am." I had no idea what I was doing there. My subconscious has always been crazy, why couldn't it make a talking pony?

     "Gotcha, I'm pickin' up my grand kid. Parents are out of town." The bell rang. The light blue pony got up. Kids started to leave through the schoolhouse doors.

     "You never told me what you did?" I said.

     "Used to be a royal guard. Served right by Celestia. But I gotta admit, retirement's pretty sweet." He said. A small red pony tackled Allen. I laughed a little. Me and Allen came to be great friends, and we still are today.

     "Michael!" A small voice yelled. I turned right as Scootaloo jumped and latched onto my arm. "Luna finally got into your dreams?"

     "Sure did, wasn't really expecting her to just pop up though."

     "So... I guess she told you then?" She let go of my arm.

     "I've already asked Twilight to see if the Apple family will help build a house."

     "Really!" Her eyes got big and bright. She jumped up and threw her hooves around my neck.

     "It's not going to be giant, but big enough for two bedrooms, living room, bathroom, and kitchen."

     "Scootaloo, who is that?" Applebloom asked.

     "Applebloom! That's the alien! The one that saved us in the forest, remember?" Sweetie Belle said, eyes wide.

     "His name is Michael!" Scootaloo snapped.

     "Oh!" Applebloom looked like her mind was just blown.

     "A house, huh?" Allen said. He had the little red pony in an odd position, but immobilized.

     "Yeah, I'm currently living in a little shack, and poor Scoot here is in a shed. Might as well tear 'em down and make something better." I said. Scootaloo hopped down to talk with her friends about her new house.

     "Very nice. Need any help getting it all put up?"

     I thought for a second. "I don't know, I don't know how many people are going to help. If you want to, that'd be awesome."

     We weren't able to build the house for another week. I was kinda pissed when Twilight told me, then she explained what was happening.

     "Celestia asked for me to escort you to Canterlot. You will be there for the night, and given an assignment. If you want it."

     I shrugged and looked back down my scope. Scootaloo saw my scope's glare and waved. I smiled, then turned to Twilight "What kind of assignment?"

     "I don't know, but she wants you to bring that." She pointed at my sniper.

     "Now what would she need me and my sniper for?" I looked out at the school "And what about Scoot?"

     "She can come, but can't be with you while you're in conference with the princess."

     "When do we leave?"

     "After you pick up Scootaloo, we are all loading up on the train."

     I looked at the sun, Scootaloo got out in about an hour. I pulled the legs up "Scootaloo's about to get out, I'll tell her what's going on."

     "We'll be waiting here, hurry if you can."

     I had my sniper in my hand and was already walking out the door. "Sure thing." I said.

     I was standing at the school again. Allen unfortunately wasn't there. I wanted to talk with the pony, seemed pretty calm. He didn't give me weird looks like all the other ponies either. The light blue one was beside me again, still scared. I heard the bell ring, and waited for Scootaloo.

     She came out with her friends, she saw me and ran forward. I reached down and swooped her up in my arms. "You'll never guess what happened today!" She squealed.

     "Scoot, you didn't have anything planned with your friends did you?" I asked. I would figure out why she was so exited on the way to the library.

     "No, I don't think so?"

     "We have to go to Canterlot, Celestia wants to talk with me, and I was wondering if you would like to go?"

     She had a confused look on her face. "Can they still come?" She asked.

     "They can come to the library, they'll have to ask Rarity and AJ if thy can come to Canterlot though. I don't think they'll care."

     We started walking towards the library. The girls talked and talked and talked. I just walked behind them. I was trying to find out what Celestia would want me for? What kind of "assignment" would I be needed to do? Then it hit me. It was like a train hit me. The only reason I was being called with my sniper for an overnight stay. I was going to be used. They were wanting to use me. I would become an assassin here as well.

     We reached the library, the two other girls were allowed to come, and we loaded up on the train. I was told I had been here already, but I couldn't remember. Then I realized that it's how I got to Canterlot the first time. They just loaded me on the train and off they went.

     The train was small. The ride was long. And how did I pass time? I leaned over the caboose's railings. Watching the scenery move by. I didn't talk with any of the ponies until the sun set. And then, I really wouldn't consider it a face to face.

     "Sit down you little bitch." A voice boomed. I did just that. I felt naked. I looked around to see nothing but desert. I then noticed people started to appear. They started slowly walking towards me. I realized who they were. Past kills.

     "I don't understand?" I said. I looked down. My hands blurred. I smiled "Why do you insist on trying to trap me?" I rose to my feet. All the targets started to run towards me, knifes wanting to meet my flesh. I simply jumped, flying into space. I stopped and walked over to my door. My shit just got real room.

     I opened the door. A large marble dome on the other side. Guns lining the walls. A suit of custom made armor in the middle of the room. I started putting everything on, when I heard something behind me. I picked the MP7 up from its place, it being the closest gun. I turned to see Luna, once again, in my dream.

     "Very nice setup you have here. Very deadly arsenal." She said, picking up some of the weapons from the walls.

     I threw the MP7 back to its place. "Welcome back Luna, can I help you?"

     She looked at me "You already know why you are being called to Canterlot. I believe I can help you."

     "And how do you plan on doing that?"

     "Of all these on the wall, which is your favorite?" She said. She was still admiring my collection.

     "In terms of firepower? Distance? Or just most badass?"

     "If your current weapon fails, and there are hostiles coming for you, what would you pull out?"

     I thought for a second. I looked at the wall, then I saw it. "That," I pointed "is the deadliest thing in here I believe." I pulled an AK-47 from the wall.

     "How so? It doesn't look that dangerous?" She said, she tried using her horn to take the gun. This was my dream however, I made all magic irrelevant. She got pissed off. I would hear about it tomorrow.

     "Nothing can stop it. It's rigid."

     "Can you take it apart? Let us see its components?"

     I nodded. I let the gun float, then touched the rifle. It expanded into multiple individual parts. Luna stared at it for what seemed forever. She eventually looked at me. "It is now sunrise. We will have an exact replica of this by the time you arrive at the castle. She turned into a most and left. I decided it was time to wake. Another dream wasted. I formed another magnum in my hand. Put the barrel to my head.

     My eyes opened. I heard talking in the next car. I started to get up, but felt something on my arm. I looked over, Scootaloo sound asleep, curled up in the crook of my arm. There was no way I could get out of bed without waking the pony. I just laid back down and tried to fall back asleep. I couldn't. My head was pounding. Allergies were a bitch.

     "Daddy?" A little voice said. I looked over to see Scootaloo starting to wake up.

     "Yeah Scoot?"

     "Luna said you may not be able to build out house." She sounded worried.

     I rubbed her purple mane. "I may not be there when it goes up is what she means." I lied to myself and her. Luna meant exactly what she said, there was a chance my life would end on this assignment, and I still had no idea what it was.

     She rolled onto my chest. Her eyes were big and lip was out "But I want you there to help!"

     I laughed "Alright, I don't want to keep you waiting though. I have no idea how long I'll be gone."

     "Three days." Celestia told me. We were in Luna's chamber. It was the most dark and at the same time beautiful place I had ever seen.

     "What exactly am I doing?" I asked. I was handed the new AK-47, just like in my dream.

     Luna dropped a photo onto the table "This pony has been forming a small revolt against me and my sister. We fear that guards alone cannot stop him, and don't want to risk losing the element bearers."

     "So you want to send an alien assassin to do your dirty work?" I said with some sarcasm in my voice. I immediately regretted it.

     "This isn't your dream! You are no longer king! You are an alien invader, you have killed four beings in our universe already. We are the rulers here! You will abide to our rules, or you will be cast into the dungeons! Do you understand?"

     I looked up at Luna. Her eyes were glowing, and a soft him came from her horn. "Yes ma'am."

     Celestia pulled a map from under the table, rolling it out. Multiple areas marked with times. "He is moving from just outside Canterlot to Ponyville, then to Apleloosa, and to Manehatten. Our best bet is right before he gets to the city. He's going to be switching parties, from escorted by unicorns, to Pegasi."

     "And let me guess. You want me to take the shot and get out as fast as possible?" I asked.

     They both nodded "That would be correct." I sunk down in the chair. This situation sounded pretty damn familiar.

     I never found out what Scootaloo was so exited about.